By-elections blow to poll prospects

The Tories have snatched a Sunderland council seat from Labour, sending a grim warning to Prime Minister Gordon Brown as he ponders whether to call a General Election.

With results in from eight out of nine of Thursday's council by-elections, Conservatives had snatched back the projected lead.

Labour held six seats but, on the basis of results at Portsmouth and Northamptonshire, Tories look on course for a sweeping parliamentary victory at Portsmouth North constituency and a closer one at Corby if there were an early poll.

In Dover the 5.5% swing in a Kent County Council contest for Dover Town - which covers more than a quarter of the Commons constituency's electorate - would be enough for Conservatives to take it.

But the outcome in the district's Aylesham ward produced the only major swing to Labour of the night.

In a further boost to the battered morale of David Cameron's Tories ahead of their conference next week, they successfully defended control of Cheshire County Council.